A Cleanroom or clean room is an environment, typically used in manufacturing or scientific research, that has a low level of environmental pollutants such as dust, airborne microbes, aerosol particles and chemical vapors. More accurately, a cleanroom has a controlled level of contaimination that is specified by the number of particles per cubic meter at a specified particle size. To give perspective, the ambient air outside in a typical urban environment contains 35,000,000 particles per cubic meter in the size range 0.5um and larger in diameter, corresponding to an ISO9 cleanroom, while an ISO1 cleanroom allows no particles in that size range and only 12 particles per cubic meter of 0.3um and smaller.
Designing a clean room involves careful planning and adherence to strict standards to ensure the environment is free from contaminants such as dust, airborne particles, and microorganisms.
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Determine the Cleanliness Level:
- Start by identifying the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) class or Federal Standard 209E classification that your clean room needs to meet. This determines the maximum allowable concentration of particles per unit volume of air.
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Understand Your Application:
- Understand the purpose of the clean room. Different industries have different requirements - pharmaceuticals, semiconductor manufacturing, medical device assembly, etc., all require specific conditions.
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Size and Layout Planning:
- Plan the size and layout of the clean room considering the process flow, equipment, personnel movement, and gowning areas. Minimize disruptions and turbulence in airflow caused by doors, equipment, and people.
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Airflow Design:
- Implement a unidirectional or laminar airflow system designed to remove or prevent particle contamination. HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters are typically used to achieve this.
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Materials Selection:
- Choose non-shedding materials for walls, floors, ceilings, and furniture that are easy to clean and resistant to chemicals. Avoid porous surfaces which can harbor bacteria or particles.
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HVAC System Design:
- Design an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system that maintains the desired temperature, humidity, and positive/negative pressure within the room.